Easter, the Reason for the Other Season

Easter, the Reason for the Other Season

Contrary to some modern perceptions, Easter really has nothing to do with bunnies, eggs, jellybeans, chocolate, or politically-correct “spring spheres.”

Coinciding with early spring, Easter can symbolically be associated with rebirth, renewal, and new beginnings but for Christians it is much more than that. It represents the central doctrine of the Christian faith without which little else makes sense. Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead which Christians believe will also be their spiritual reward for a life lived well.

”On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches. Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus came back to life, or was raised from the dead, three days after his death on the cross. As part of the Easter season, the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday, always the Friday just before Easter. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus purchasing for all who believe in him, eternal life in Christ Jesus.” (Christianity.about.com)

Easter week, from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday, also represents an enigma to Christians and to non-Christians alike, namely, If Jesus is God, why did He have to die at all and why did he have to die so ignominiously, nailed to a cross?

The short answer is that He had to die because it was the Father’s will for a human being to suffer and die in order to atone for the sins of humanity from Adam onward. Both His death and resurrection also fulfilled scriptural prophecy and furnished meaning for His prophetic words to His disciples.

The long-contentious question of “Who killed Jesus?” is of far less consequence than the truth that He died and rose again. The Jews condemned Him, the Romans crucified Him, and we all shared the fruits of His ultimate sacrifice.

Few people will dwell on Easter’s deeper meanings and philosophical nuances this weekend as they celebrate what has become, like Christmas, more a holiday than a holy day. So, enjoy your finery, your bunnies, eggs, jellybeans, chocolate, or even those PC spring spheres. However, as with Christmas, it would be good to remember that there’s a reason for the season.

(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=20960.)